Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42493607›Full record

ArticleJournal of neurology2026

Fifteen years of autoimmune encephalitis in Denmark: incidence, epidemiology, and trends in treatment.

Thomas Agerbo Gaist, Mette Scheller Nissen, Silke Simone Aalborg Funch, Mette Blok-Andersen, Andrea Gestsdóttir, Christian Jonasson Winterberg, Anna Christine Nilsson, Charlotte Aaberg Poulsen, Morten Blaabjerg

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Thomas Agerbo GaistNeurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. Thomas.agerbo.gaist@rsyd.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-5695-5175
Mette Scheller NissenNeurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Silke Simone Aalborg FunchNeurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Mette Blok-AndersenNeurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Andrea GestsdóttirNeurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Christian Jonasson WinterbergNeurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Anna Christine NilssonDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Charlotte Aaberg PoulsenDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Morten BlaabjergNeurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.

Funding

Novo Nordisk Fonden NNF22OC0080327
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDespite increasing awareness of autoimmune encephalitis (AE), real-world, population-based epidemiological data are scarce. Using 15 years of nationwide, centralized testing data, we aimed to (1) characterize all Danish patients with neuronal cell-surface antibodies (NSAbs), GAD65, and GFAP; (2) estimate AE incidence in Denmark; and (3) assess temporal trends in treatment strategies.

methodsNationwide testing data from 2009 to 2023 were obtained from the Danish centralized antibody test center, and the medical records for antibody-positive patients were reviewed. National and regional incidence rates were calculated using census data, and trends in testing, incidence, and treatment were analyzed.

resultsA total of 198 patients were included. The most prevalent antibody was NMDAR (n = 79), followed by LGI1 (n = 37), GAD65 (n = 20), and CASPR2 (n = 19). The national average crude incidence rate (IR) in 2019-2023 was 2.8 cases per million person-years. Incidence increased by 10% annually during the study period (IRR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.17, P = 0.001). The highest regional IR was observed in the region hosting the national testing center. Second-line treatment in NMDARE increased from 24% in 2009-2013 to 48% in 2019-2023. In contrast, use of steroid-sparing therapy declined from 41 to 26% in NMDARE and from 39 to 0% in LGI1. DISCUSSION: In this nationwide cohort, Danish AE patients were comparable to previously reported cohorts and incidence estimates were similar to those reported in other national studies. Higher incidence in the testing region suggests that local expertise improves case ascertainment. Treatment patterns evolved over time, likely reflecting increasing clinical experience with AE.

Indexed as

EncephalitisHashimoto DiseaseAdolescentAdultAgedAutoantibodiesChildChild, PreschoolDenmarkFemaleGlial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinGlutamate DecarboxylaseHumansIncidenceIntracellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsMaleAutoantibodiesCNTNAP2 protein, humanGlial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinGlutamate Decarboxylaseglutamate decarboxylase 2Intracellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsLGI1 protein, humanMembrane ProteinsNerve Tissue ProteinsAutoimmune encephalitisEpidemiologyIncidenceLGI1NeuroinflammationNMDAR

Identifiers

PMID42493607
PMCPMC13395891

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.